Needlework/Basketry/ Males

[mona lisa]

Curious to know if it was a fairly usual thing that young males be taught/able to do basketry or needlework in the pre 1900s in Wales?   thanks

[Drosybont]

Not sure if land-based, yes if at sea, eg ancestors of mine in Royal Marines did cross stitch.  They were in the English part of my family, not the Welsh part.

Drosybont

[Galium]

One branch of my family were mariners from Aberystwyth.  My mother's grandmother had woven rope mats around the house made by her menfolk.  Not sure if they did this to while away the hours when there was nothing else to do at sea, or when they were at home.

[mona lisa]

Thanks Galium and Drosybont for your replies.

[aghadowey]

Sailors certainly did all sorts of handicrafts while at sea. I was given a lovely cordwork (what most people probably know as macrame) ladies dress handbag which my great-grandfather's 1st mate (a Canadian cousin who was married in Barry, Wales during a voyage) made for my great-grandmother. Not only did he do all the intricate work but from what I was told he also did the fabric lining.

[a-l]

I was in Poland about 12 years ago and was very surprised to see that the men who take you on river trips still do their own needlework. The embroidery on their clothes was outstanding , I took some photos it was so impressive.

[mona lisa]

thank you aghadowey and a-1.......

[StanleysChesterton]

As I've always understood it, a lot of these "women's skills" started by men doing it as part of their job, but with tougher materials.  The women simply replicated the manoevres, using softer materials, to produce garments and attractive objects.

Basketry would've been common among fishermen - making crab pots and similar.
Knitting/needlework skills would've been used to "knit" fishing nets.... and repair them.

[mona lisa]

yes indeed thank you StanleysChesterton for that observation.